1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a cleaning device, a process cartridge incorporating the cleaning device and an image forming apparatus incorporating the cleaning device.
2. Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses typically include a cleaning device having a cleaning brush and a cleaning blade therein. Residual toner that is cleaned and collected by the cleaning brush and the cleaning blade from a photoconductor is regarded as waste toner and is conveyed by a toner conveying screw provided in the cleaning device to a waste toner container. For example, the toner cleaned by the cleaning brush is flicked off by the flicker in a toner conveying screw direction and is discharged as the waste toner by the toner conveying screw.
In a device using the toner, a spiral-shaped or coil-shaped toner conveying member is rotated to contact and vibrate an agitator in order to prevent toner blocking. Specifically, the agitator vibrates to flick off the toner accumulated between conveying members by vibration of the agitator, thereby preventing occurrence of toner blocking caused by cohesion of toner to the toner conveying member.